Business

Flint schoolkids will get 6.5 million bottles of water from Coca-Cola and Pepsi

Louis Singleton receives water filters, bottled water and a test kit from Michigan National Guard Specialist Joe Weaver as clean water supplies are distributed to residents in Flint, Michigan.

Image: Paul Sancya/Associated Press

By The Associated Press2016-01-26 12:50:22 UTC

FLINT, Mich. — Walmart and several global beverage-makers have pledged to deliver about 175 truckloads of bottled water to Flint as the Michigan city deals with a public health emergency caused by lead-tainted water.

The retail giant, along with Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestle, announced Tuesday the collective donation will include up to 6.5 million bottles of water through December for at least 10,000 schoolchildren.

Walmart says that since July, it has donated 14 truckloads of water and nearly 1,800 water filters.

Flint has also received water donations from Cher, Jimmy Fallon, Eminem and the Detroit Lions, and the National Guard has been distributing supplies to residents.

Flint switched from Detroit's municipal water system while under emergency state management and began drawing from the Flint River in 2014 to save money. But the water wasn't properly treated and it became contaminated with lead. Residents have been urged to use bottled water and to put filters on faucets.

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